Hope
by RedSoxChic193
Summary: Sequel to Trust! The 29DWN crew are trying to recover from their latest blow. Nathan's injury has deeply affected them all, and their troubles are only beginning. Will they find the strength to make it through? Or will their hopes disappear? ND, JM, ET
1. Changes

**Well, here it is! The sequel! I've been working on it so much lately, but now I can finally post it and I'm so excited. I have a lot of ideas for this story and I hope you'll like them, and without further ado, here it is!**

Jackson looked around the camp and sighed. There was little activity going on at the moment. Everything was silent, except for the occasional snores of Eric, who was asleep under a tree. Other than that, everything was still and peaceful, for no one else was around. Melissa was collecting firewood. Taylor lay sunbathing down on the beach. Lex was in the garden, tending to the fruits & vegetables.

And there was no Nathan.

It was a week after the terrible accident, and since then, the camp had been quite dreary. Usually, around this time of day, Nathan would pop up and help everyone forget about their problems, suggesting a game of Coconut Catch or cheering them up with his perky attitude. But no one seemed to be cheerful much anymore, for the live-wire of the group had really kept them going. The memories of Nathan constantly bouncing around camp, willing to help anyone and everyone, haunted Jackson like a ghost. Now Nathan lay in a coma in the plane, and no one knew when or even if he would wake up.

Daley never left his side. The only time she would leave the plane was to go to the bathroom. Lex would bring her meals in to her, checking on Nathan at the same time. Nathan hadn't shown any signs of coming out of the coma yet, though he was still alive. Lex kept saying that they needed to give it some time, and as time went on they would be able to better predict whether Nathan would survive.

Jackson entered the plane. Daley looked up at him as he entered and gave him a feeble smile. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," Jackson replied, smiling at her in return. "How is he?"

"Not any worse than yesterday," Daley said, looking down at her boyfriend and brushing the hair from his face.

Lex had managed to stitch Nathan's head well. He had wrapped his leg as well, fixing it in a position that would help it heal.

"That's something," Jackson said.

"Yeah, it is," Daley replied, looking a little more hopeful. Then she sighed. "I- I just….. I wish things could go back to the way they were before the storm. I wish none of this had ever happened."

Jackson looked at her empathetically and put his hand on hers. "Me, too," he said, and he got up and left the plane.

Daley sighed and looked down at Nathan again. She took his hand in hers, and as a tear rolled down her cheek, she said, "Please be okay, Nathan. We need you."

**29DWN**

As Melissa made her way out of the jungle, she spotted Lex watering the garden. She walked over, and when he saw her he greeted her brightly. "Hey," he said.

She smiled at him and said, "Hey, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing," he replied, getting back to watering the crops. Then he frowned. "Melissa? Can I ask you something?"

Melissa was a little confused, but she set down the wood she was carrying and sat down. "Of course," she said, and Lex paused and sat down next to her. He asked her with a worried look on his face, "Do you think Nathan will be alright?"

Melissa hesitated, and then she said, "I don't know, Lex. What do you think?"

"I don't know, either," he told her. "Things are looking better than they are worse, but we can't be sure. I mean, I think he'll _survive,_ but I'm still worried, and not only about that. I'm worried about what the effects of the injury will be. What if he can't remember any of us? Or how we got here? Or anything that's happened to us?"

"That would be horrible," Melissa agreed.

Lex nodded. "And I'm worried about Daley," he continued. "She hasn't been herself since Nathan got hurt, and she's constantly worried."

Mel looked at him sadly. "I don't think any of us have been ourselves," she admitted. "Everything seems to be different now, doesn't it?"

Lex nodded understandingly. "I just hope everything turns out okay."

Mel hugged him. "Me, too, Lex," she said. "Me, too."

**29DWN**

"Eric, would you move over already?"

"Oh, yes, sure, let me just get my 'Expando Tent' and make more room for us all! In case you hadn't noticed, I'm just as squished as you are!"

"Well, someone has to move!"

"Taylor, we've been over this, this tent is just too small for all of us but we're gonna have to deal with it."

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, Lex, I'm smooshed in between the wall and Mr. Funnypants here…"

"Oh, come on, Taylor, you know you love me."

"Okay…. Fine, I do… but at the moment I'm pretty annoyed."

"Join the club."

Taylor and Eric both rolled their eyes at Jackson's remark. They were all jammed inside the tent that night. Everyone had agreed to let Daley sleep in the plane with Nathan while the rest of them kept out of their way. They had done it for Nathan's sake, but if it hadn't been for him, well, they wouldn't have lasted even a night in the crowded tent.

"Okay," Melissa said, thinking. "I'll move over a little, and then Lex can move over, and Jackson can sort of move over and down…"

They all shifted around for a minute until they were a little more comfortable. Well, almost everyone…

"Ow! I'm on a rock!" Taylor cried.

Jackson glared at her and then said, "Deal with it," and he rolled over. Soon they had all fallen asleep.

**29DWN**

Over in the plane at the same time, Daley couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, but try as she might she couldn't get comfortable. She then looked over at Nathan, and she smiled. She took hold of his hand and squeezed it, closed her eyes, and finally she began to drift off to sleep. Then she started. _No, _she thought. _Impossible… _

She shook it off and soon fell asleep. She wasn't sure if she'd imagined it or not because she was so tired, but she could have sworn she felt Nathan squeeze her hand back.

**So there's the first chapter! Hope you guys liked it! I know it's a little short but it's basically to help more ideas come to me and to kind of set the plot for this story. Reviews are appreciated! I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can (but now that school's started I don't really know when that will be). Thanks guys D**


	2. Important AN please read!

Hey, guys…

Sorry, but this isn't a new chapter. Really sorry!!!! My computer crashed who knows how many months ago, and my dad got a new one but he won't set it up until my room is clean (and you should see my room!). Don't worry, though, I'm still working on all my stories and on my room, too, that way I can get back on track on here. Just wanted to let you guys know that I haven't ditched the story, and I give you the complete right to hate me for not cleaning my room earlier. 

I'll post as soon as I can! RedSoxChic193


	3. Slacking

Well, I know it's been a while (and I mean a WHILE), but here's the second chapter of Hope! Sorry for the huge delay- I just got my computer privileges back so this is the first chance I've been able to update. Anyway, hope you guys like it!

The next morning, everyone woke up late, exhausted from a night of little sleep. They were all slow in starting their chores; that is, everyone except for Lex. He jumped up, ate breakfast, and then set straight to work on thinking of things he could build around the island that would help their day-to-day life become a little easier.

The others simply sat around, neglecting work. Lex passed by after about a half hour, bringing Daley her breakfast. He stopped when he saw the others.

"Come on, guys!" he said, shaking the back of a sleeping Eric's chair violently. Eric woke up and fell out of the chair in alarm. Lex paid him no attention, and he said, "The sun is shining. The sky is clear of clouds. It's beautiful out. For once! And we need things done!" He kicked Eric, who was still lying on the ground. "Get up!" Lex told him.

"OW!" Eric exclaimed. "Alright, alright, alright, sheesh!"

Lex sighed and proceeded toward the plane with Daley's breakfast. "Morning," he greeted her when he entered the plane.

"Hey," said Daley absentmindedly. She hadn't told anyone about what she thought had happened the past night, for the simple reason that she wasn't sure if it had even happened at all. She'd been really tired, and she figured she'd probably imagined it.

"Are you alright?" Lex had noticed her distant look.

"Oh," she said, snapping out of a trance. "Yeah… yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?" Lex asked.

Daley nodded, and, getting up, she said, "Listen… I sort of want to be left alone."

"Oh," Lex replied, feeling crestfallen. Still, he knew how she was probably feeling. "Okay," he said, and Daley left the plane.

Lex went over to Nathan and listened to his heartbeat. To Lex's surprise, it was much more constant than it had been the day before. In fact, it almost seemed normal- but not quite. Lex then moved on to examine Nathan's head and to change the bandages. To his delight, the bleeding had nearly stopped and the long gash had almost completely scabbed over. He wrapped new bandages around the wound and then gently laid Nathan's head down. Then Lex looked at Nathan for a long time, wondering what he had done to deserve this- what _any _of them had done to deserve this. It was so hard to look at Nathan when he was in this state. Daley soon returned, and Lex got up and left the plane without meeting her glance. He walked over to the tent and sat down.

Lex didn't want to say anything yet, in case things changed, but he was happy with the rate at which Nathan was recovering. It wasn't extraordinary, but it was more than he could have hoped for. However, Nathan hadn't shown any signs of coming out of the coma, and that was beginning to worry Lex. The others, aside from Jackson, all seemed to think that Lex knew everything there was to know about sicknesses and injuries, and that was what really bothered Lex. He didn't know all of it, despite how much he wished he did. He just didn't. Nathan's injury proved that. Lex knew everyone saw him as their doctor and that they were counting on him, but that only made him more anxious. He didn't know when or even if Nathan would come out of the coma, and just thinking about that, or about what could happen to Nathan, made him feel very stressed and powerless, even though he knew he couldn't possibly control this situation or its outcome. Lex was suddenly feeling very unstable and stressed and didn't feel like he could handle much more of anything just then. He got up, took a long walk down the beach, and collapsed on the shore, letting the waves crash against him and wash away all of the unsettling thoughts in his mind.

**Well, there's that chapter… yeah, I know, it's really short, especially by my standards, but I'm kind of in a writer's block right now. I'm trying to come up with a great next chapter, though, and I hope I'll have that up soon. Anyway, please review! Thanks!!! **


	4. Sorry! AN please read :

Hey… no, sorry, this isn't a new chapter

Hey… no, sorry, this isn't a new chapter! Sorry!! I'm getting really frustrated. I'm going through a huge writer's block and I can't think of any new ideas for this chapter. I'm trying to get some Mel/Jackson in there, and that's the part I'm having the most trouble with. I've only written a few paragraphs, and I just wanted you guys to know that I haven't given up on the story because it's been so long since I've updated. I'm working on it though! Promise I'll have it up as soon as I can. Thanks for everything! 


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